Method of operating gas-engines in torpedo-boats



(No Model.)

E. W. KELLOGG'.

METHOD OE OPERATING OAS ENGINES 1N TOEPEOO BOATS. NO. 265,423.

Patented Oct. 3,` 1882,

Mmm/@Aff engine.

NITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

EDWARD XV. KELLOGG, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

METHOD OF OPERATING GAS-ENGINES IN TORPEDO-BOATS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 265,423, dated October3, 1852.

Application filed December 2l, 1880. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it mag/ concern Be it known that I, EDWARD W. KELLoGG, ot'Hartford, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented anew and useful Improvement in the Method of Operating Gas- Engines ofTorpedo-Boats and in the Devices for Carrying' such Method intoOperation; and I do hereby declare the following to be an accuratedescription of my said invention.

My invention relates to gas-engines for the propulsion of torpedo-boats,and is intenled to apply specially to self-propelled or submarinetorpedo-boats similar to the Lay or the Whitehead torpedo.

My invention consists in a method of expanding the gas by which suchtorpedo-boats are propelled in such manner as to avoid the excessiverefrigeration or freezing of the liquid gas in the tank or reservoirwhich contains the gassunply.

Myinvention further consists in certain improvements in the mechanism bywhich the gas-supply is delivered to the engine, whereby refrigerationin the gas-supply iiask is avoided.

My invention further consists in the construction of torpedo-boatswhereby the refrigeration of the gas in the flask is prevented and thesea-water is enabled to act upon the gas in such manner as to supplycaloric as it is absorbed by the rapid expansion of the gas. Whencarbonio-acid gas is reduced to liquid form under extreme pressure itabsorbs heat very rapidly when allowed to expand. The same is true ofammoniacal gas and of most other gases. This rapid refrigeration, whichhas been utilized in ice-machines for the purpose of freezing, is veryobjectionable in the workin g of a torpedo'boat, as it often partiallycon geals the liquid gas in the ask and reduces or stops the supply ofgas from the flask to the I connect my supply-pipe with the iiask nearthe bottom of the ask, so that the gas goes into the coil in liquidform. The aperture through which the liquid enters the coil must be verysmall, and may be through the flask near the bottom; or the pipe mayenter the upper part of the lask and extend down to the bottom. The pipeis many times larger in diameter than the aperture through which theliquid enters. I have found seven-eighthsinch pipe to answer a goodpurpose; but of course other sizes may be used. The size of the aperturewill be regulated as circumstances warrant, and a cock or valve is usedto regulate the supply of liquid to the pipe. The pipe is surrounded bya copious water-suppl y, which gives ofic caloric to the gas insufticient quantities to prevent freezing; or the pipe and its containedgas may be heated by the combustion of any substance surrounding it.

One method of carrying out my invention I have illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of atorpedo-boat having outside tubes. Fig. 2 is across-section of the saineon line a: x. Fig. 3 is a view of a flask and one form of coil which maybe used in the boat. Fig. 4 gives a longitudinal view of a torpedo-boatwith inside coil.

In the drawings, A is the hull of the boat. a designates the flask orreservoir for compressed gas, which may be a simple reservoir or may betubular, like a tubular boiler. b is a pipe or coil leading therefrom tothe engine, which may be placed at c or elsewhere iu the boat, as ismost convenient. The pipe b is coiled in any Well-known way, either ilator circular coils. As shown in Fig. l, these coils are outside the hullof the boat and exposed to the sea-water, heilig secured to the boat inany Well-known Way. The bends of the coil at the front may be protectedby a shield, as d, todiminish friction' and prevent clogging by weeds.Src. Where the coil is inside the boat, as in Figs. 3 and 4, thesea-water is freely admitted to the compartment which contains the coil;or any well-known Way of supplying artificial heat may be employed. Theinner end of the expansion-pipe communicates with the liquidgas supplyin the iiask at a point low down in the ask, as at e. A suitable cockshuts ott' the liquid from the coil at a convenient point, usually justoutside the ask.

The operation of my device is as follows: When the cock or valve in thetube is opened the high pressure in the flask expels a small quantity ofthe liquid into the pipe or coil. Here the liquid immediately resumesthe gaseous form, being permittedto expand in the coil, and passes on topropel the engine. This expansion is attended by a rapid refrigeration.The gas is kept at a comparatively high tem- IOO perature by the contactof the pipes with the water or other source of heat-supply, so that thesmall quantity ot' liquid entering the pipe is not frozen, and theexpansion being in the coil and removed from the ask, there is no greattendency to freeze the liquid in the ask.

Heretofore in operating engines of this kind the gas has been taken fromthe flask through an aperture above the liquid. The expansion thereforetook place in the flask in contact with the main body of the liquid,which always had a tendency to freeze, and thereupon the gas-supply wasdiminished and the pressure lessened. I am aware that attempts have beenmade to heat the liquid and gas in the flask by artificial means. Suchdevices I do not claim.

What I claim is#- 1. The method herein described for using gas inconnection with a torpedo-boat, which E. W. KELLOGG.

Witnesses:

JOHN BULL, A. A. HUNTER.

